TECH.KNOW BLOG

Arcam A39

Dec 17, 2014

One of the best parts about my job is getting to play with toys that are out of my snack bracket. The Arcam A39 is exactly that. Now let me be clear; the A39 is not part of the “Ridiculous Club” where counting the zeroes on the price tag will make you dizzy. However, the A39 is an audiophile

One of the best parts about my job is getting to play with toys that are out of my snack bracket. The Arcam A39 is exactly that. Now let me be clear; the A39 is not part of the “Ridiculous Club” where counting the zeroes on the price tag will make you dizzy. However, the A39 is an audiophile level product.

Here lies the gritty truth about the ARCAM A39.

The sound is phenomenal. If you have the cash for class G amplification; do it and don’t look back. I’m dead serious, some manufacturers amplifiers might compromise the sound, but ARCAM does not, it only boosts the horsepower.

How much louder does it make things? 120W at 8 Ohms or 240 at 4 Ohms. That is enough jam to run some big towers at volumes that will be physically painful. Sure, I have seen towers that would probably need more juice, but they cost more than my car, and I feel like it’s unlikely that you have a pair of those at home. If you do… I would like to visit!

It looks smaller than I expected? I admit, ARCAM fooled me; that low profile face makes this amp look sleek and tiny but, word to the wise, it’s deeper than the ocean. You are going to need a deep shelf.

The design looks basic; how’s the build quality? I think ARCAM might chisel this amplifier out of granite? It is so heavy I thought the sales team had bolted it to the shelf. The steel case is at least an eighth inch thick and “flexible” is not a word in Arcam’s vocabulary. The fascia is 1/4” inch aluminum plate. Try not to drop the A39 during installation; it will fall straight through your floor and head to the center of the earth.

Is it easy to use? Yup! All your sources are up front with a dedicated button. Select source and turn knob until you can’t hear your neighbors shouting anymore. The A39 also supports two zones SP1 and SP2. The zones are also bound to two buttons up front. Learning curve ZERO!

AMPLIFIER; not entertainment unit. The A39 is a pure amplifier. Good amplifiers boost power output and that is the whole story. All Inputs are analogue; if you want to feed a digital or optical source, or process a signal, you will need a DAC. The A39 is designed to take your signal and pump it up without adding distortion. There are no mixing effects or tuning options beyond a basic left / right balance. Now let me be brutally honest. You really don’t want “tuning” options on your amplifier. Without fail, “Tuning” adds signal noise to your music. Besides, the band tuned it properly, in a studio, with a professional. What right have you to second-guess a pro?

Finally and critically, the A39 is a two-channel amplifier; meaning Left and Right Towers. It is designed for music, not home theatres. It is also a “component” of a larger system. I.e. you will need to feed this unit an analogue signal from a DAC or Media player to get rolling. ARCAM makes excellent DAC’s Docks & players, but I will save those for another article.

The final call is easy, if you need big power, and are building a great 2-channel system, the A39 should be in your mix. It’s not inexpensive, but those dollars will be well spent.

Sony HAPS1

Do you remember the last time a song raised the hair on the back of you neck? When did you last get chills from an old favorite? Sony wants you to break down in-front of your speakers again.

Sony’s HAPS1 hi-resolution player only has one mission; remind us why we fall in love with music.

Do you remember the last time a song raised the hair on the back of you neck? When did you last get chills from an old favorite? Sony wants you to break down in-front of your speakers again.

Sony’s HAPS1 hi-resolution player only has one mission; remind us why we fall in love with music.

The HAPS1 is a nicely built compact package. Fit and finish is excellent and the layout is simple and intuitive. I don’t know if it has a manual, I just walked up and used it. I can’t say enough about products that have a well thought-out interface. Nothing rots my socks like fighting a badly designed interface before I can have my music.

If you hate physical controls, there is an app for Apple and Android devices. The best part about the app is you can give iTunes the heave-ho it deserves. How dare Apple decide that we don’t care about sound quality!

Once you are free of the iBeast head down to HD Tracks or another high-res audio service and grab your favorite albums. Yes they will cost more; It’s because they are orders of magnitude better. The HAPS1 has a 500GB hard-drive attached to the 40+40W amplifier. Your new treasures will automatically load from your collection.

Once your tunes are loaded the powerful DAC at the heart of the HAPS1 will sing you a song you won’t forget. Suddenly your favorite artists are right there with you. I can’t explain how good the imaging is. As I listened to a few demo tracks my ears refused to believe that the speakers were producing the sound. Voices slid smoothly through the air before me, piano keys danced to my right, guitarists worked the strings to my left, and I sat in the drum kit.

One of the included demo tracks is a quality MP3, the instant it plays you feel the imaging fade. Suddenly you are back in your living room, you have chores, and somewhere out there your boss probably wants you to get back to work. The odd thing about hearing an MP3 play back-to-back with the high-res files is that it still sounds better than ever. The HAPS1 corrects much of the loss artifacts in MP3 files.

Your old MP3 music will sound great over this player. As good as this player is at correcting the giant holes in the MP3 format, there is no substitution for pure uncompressed audio. Imagine if you walked around your whole life with dirty, fogged, glasses. You would still enjoy the sunny days. Then imagine someone came along and replaced your glasses with a brand new crystal clear pair. Suddenly there would be details you never knew you were missing. Going back to the old glasses would be frustrating because you would suddenly know what you were missing.

The Sony HAPS1 will clean your glasses. Not only are you going to want to listen to whole world again, but I will bet you don’t go back to foggy MP3s!

In plain English, the Sony HAPS1 has the sound we have waited our whole lives to hear. It produces truly studio quality audio, with no tape pops, record scrapes or digital compression. At the back of the Sony HAPS1 the 40W stereo posts have a pure, full resolution, signal. Your only responsibility is to feed that stereo goodness into worthy speakers (the matching SSHA3 sound brilliant).

Yamaha Stereo and 2-Channel

Sep 09, 2014

Go back to the future with Technology Expert Marc Saltzman. Wrapped up in a beautiful timeless design, the R-N500 takes a fresh look at Stereo and how people are connecting their musical devices to a receiver.

Go back to the future with Technology Expert Marc Saltzman. Wrapped up in a beautiful timeless design, the R-N500 takes a fresh look at Stereo and how people are connecting their musical devices to a receiver.

What's New in Yamaha AV Receivers

Sep 09, 2014

If you're watching this video then chances are you appreciate great sound. An AV receiver is the hub of your home theatre. It decodes and distributes picture and sound from your favourite movies, TV shows, and video games. But Technology Expert Marc Saltzman shows us it's really a lot more than

If you're watching this video then chances are you appreciate great sound. An AV receiver is the hub of your home theatre. It decodes and distributes picture and sound from your favourite movies, TV shows, and video games. But Technology Expert Marc Saltzman shows us it's really a lot more than that...

Denon HEOS 3

Denon is one of those companies that have never let me down. I bought: ear-buds, loved them; headphones, loved them; receiver, love it. Can the HEOS 3 meet my high expectations?

Right out of the box, signs were good. The HEOS 3 is beautifully sculpted. All swoops and curves; it is easily

Denon is one of those companies that have never let me down. I bought: ear-buds, loved them; headphones, loved them; receiver, love it. Can the HEOS 3 meet my high expectations?

Right out of the box, signs were good. The HEOS 3 is beautifully sculpted. All swoops and curves; it is easily the best looking product in its category. The rubber foot that is used in a vertical configuration is transparent and glows either red or blue depending on the status of the HEOS 3.

The build quality is excellent, with tight fitment and a pleasant weight. It’s actually surprisingly heavy. I am unsure where all the weight is coming from, but I think it’s safe to assume that the guts of the HEOS 3 are stout.

My test unit informed me it needed a software update out of the box. I clicked “ok” and about a minute later it was ready to rock.

The app is a snap to use. Choosing a source, building a playlist and creating zones is ridiculously easy. You can even play different tunes in different zones from the same device. Two minutes after firing up the free app I was looking for more options to test. There weren’t any, I had become the master.

The sound is nice. Two full range drivers do a great job of sharing the workload and the HEOS 3 is easy to listen to. For audiophiles the lack of a dedicated tweeter and mid means they will be keeping their bookshelves and complex amplifiers. For the typical listener this is easier, better, sound than much of the competition offers.

The strength of the HEOS 3 is its versatility. One or two speakers in a room give you mono or stereo sound. Plug them in around your house and create up to 32 zones. Use the app to group them together and get a great whole home sound experience. Audio is drawn through your home network, from your Mobile device, your computer, or stream from online services.

Ultimately, I really like the HEOS 3 it delivers great sound, it looks handsome on the shelf, and is easy to use. I can’t imagine anyone who could not think of the perfect place for one of these. For unobtrusive music in an office, kitchen, on the patio, or anywhere else you want; try a HEOS!

Samsung UN78HU9000

We have a new, new, NEW, UHDTV in our showroom. The Samsung UN78HU9000 sprang to life in 78” of full UltraHD only a few days ago.

Firstly, allow me to endorse giant 78” screens. 78 inches on a UHD screen has the same pixel density as a 40” 1080P HDTV. This means you must press your nose to

We have a new, new, NEW, UHDTV in our showroom. The Samsung UN78HU9000 sprang to life in 78” of full UltraHD only a few days ago.

Firstly, allow me to endorse giant 78” screens. 78 inches on a UHD screen has the same pixel density as a 40” 1080P HDTV. This means you must press your nose to the screen before you can detect individual pixels. A UHDTV displays four times the detail of HD. The picture is incredible. It’s crisp, sharp, and so full of detail that HDTVs suddenly feel blurry.

The UN78HU9000 is a curved screen television, and one of only a handful of models with this feature. It’s a neat concept that adds depth to the picture and encourages you to sit closer to the screen. The only drawback that I noticed is the high gloss finish on the screen. The UN78HU9000 has to sit in a dark room, as the curve captures and reflects every visible light.

The fit and finish on the UN78HU9000 is excellent, and it’s a classy looking unit that is easily recognizable as a premium model. Even the remote has been carefully sculpted into a classy accent.

Speaking of the remote, Samsung has adopted a technology similar to a Wii-mote that tracks your flourishes on screen. Though it does permit easier navigation of the menus, I did have some trouble with it getting confused and jumping around. Not the end of the world, but irritating when you are deep into the menus.

The sound from the unit is good for a flat screen; but if you are dropping this much coin, do invest in a soundbar if not a surround system. You won’t regret the extra dollars for sound quality that matches the picture.

The UN78HU9000 is a WiFi enabled Smart TV, meaning it is hooked up to the Internet wirelessly. This saves you from running any more cables through your home. I don’t know about you, but I have had enough cables in my life. “Be gone electric snakes of endless irritation.”

The UN78HU9000 has full active 3D capabilities, which is fun if you are a next gen gamer. I am not totally sold on the technology for watching movies, but at least you can if a good film shows up.

Should you buy a 4K/UHDTV? I’m a young guy, but if there is one easily observable constant, it’s the onward march of screen resolution. If you buy in now, with a good quality unit, you will be ready for all the content that is coming along shortly. Master copies of blockbuster movies are already filmed in 8K. This results in file sizes that are just too big for modern technology, but we can (just barely) provide data in 4K/UHDTV. Studios are easily mastering their files in the resolution required and companies like Netflix are just starting to stream the content. It won’t be long before UHD is as standard as HD. A good 4K UHDTV will likely serve you faithfully for the next 10-15 years. At that point we might all need an 8K screen, but by then your UN78HU9000 will have more than earned it’s keep.

Yamaha YSP-1400

Jun 05, 2014

If you have a flat screen, or you read this blog, you know that modern TV’s are not impressive when it comes to sound. Luckily, there are plenty of soundbars to solve this problem. I have been reviewing the Yamaha YSP1400.

The Yamaha YSP1400 is the starter model from their “sound

If you have a flat screen, or you read this blog, you know that modern TV’s are not impressive when it comes to sound. Luckily, there are plenty of soundbars to solve this problem. I have been reviewing the Yamaha YSP1400.

I liked the look of the Yamaha YSP1400 it has a sleek faceted design that I imagine could entertain Lord Vader when he isn’t crushing the rebellion. It does look a bit bulky under my smaller TV, but under a 50+ inch screen it should be right at home.

The controls are easy to use. Setup is as easy as poking a few buttons to get things where you want them. I didn’t have the instructions and I didn’t need them. The hardest part was finding an empty outlet on my power bar.

The remote included with the Yamaha YSP1400 is compact and stout with real buttons. The comfortable size resists disappearing into the couch and is easy to use.

The simple lights on the unit indicate settings, mode and volume, adequately; but the labeling is impossible to read unless you are standing directly in front of the unit. I had faith that the lights were lighting up in the right places, and only glanced at the LED’s to confirm that the YSP1400 had gotten my commands.

The IR repeating function that ensures that this sound projector never blocks your TVs remote is excellent as usual.

UniVolume keeps your sound under control, which can be handy for commercials, but should be turned off for movies. The preset EQ’s all work as advertised and enhance the sound for different applications.

My only complaint is the built in woofers. If you are absolutely out of space then it’s nice to have a unit with a little growl. However, these aren’t nearly big enough to be considered a woofer, and could have been better used as mid left and right. Yes they add grumble, but not nearly enough for my taste.

The other quirk of the Yamaha YSP1400 is the Bluetooth and Music inputs. Though it produces good sound when watching TV, the sound feels awkward when you play music through this device.

Is the Yamaha YSP1400 a good buy? If you are out of space and you really, really, can’t fit a wireless sub in your room then this soundbar is a nice one-stop solution. If you can fit a sub; I would go one model up the Yamaha line and get a proper sub. A proper earth-shaker adds excitement to the sound.

I would also consider the soundbar Vs. sound projector question. Sound projectors are inherently more expensive and have very specific sound properties. Not everyone likes simulated surround sound, and not all rooms compliment the beam technology. Yamaha’s YAS201 might be a better choice if you don’t like the simulated surround and want a bigger rumble for less dollars.

Do sound projectors work? Sort of; the high-end models add quite a bit of depth to the listening experience. The Yamaha YSP1400 certainly has more depth than stereo, but falls short of a full surround setup. This should surprise nobody, but is worth confirming.

Allow me to be clear; this unit sounds much better than standard TV speakers. At the end of the day, the Yamaha YSP1400 is a great entry point into sound projectors. Many people will find this unit to be a good balance of value and sound. One of them just might be you.

Paradigm Stylus 170 Vs. 270

Apr 30, 2014

As the weather starts to improve, and I find myself making excuses to stay outside, one of the things I miss most is music. You can bet that the instant I own my own home I will be looking for a great set of outdoor speakers. This week I am going to compare two of Paradigm’s most affordable

As the weather starts to improve, and I find myself making excuses to stay outside, one of the things I miss most is music. You can bet that the instant I own my own home I will be looking for a great set of outdoor speakers. This week I am going to compare two of Paradigm’s most affordable outdoor speakers.

The Stylus 170 & 270 are the 2 smallest outdoors speaker sizes in Paradigm’s line. Let’s determine which you should choose to liven up your yard.

Both the Stylus 170 & 270 sound great, but in a head to head it’s the 270 that wins by a large margin. I have previously talked about how small cones tend to sound bright. The difference in cone size makes the 170 much brighter than the 270. In my opinion the 170 is just too bright. My music sounded much more natural through the inch larger cone on the 270.

The Stylus 170 & 270 share the same tweeter, which does a great job with the high notes. This tweeter is used universally in the paradigm outdoor speaker line (Excluding the in-wall/ceiling models).

The cabinetry for the Stylus 170 & 270 is heavy UV-resistant PolyGlass™. The simplest test of good cabinetry is to knock on it with your knuckles. The deader the “thud”, the better the speakers tend to sound. Both the Stylus 170 & 270 return a promising “thunk” when tapped.

Mounting systems for the Stylus 170 & 270 are very different. The 170 has a plastic block that is screwed to your mounting location. The speaker is then slotted onto the block via two screw heads protruding from the back of the cabinet. Depending on which slot you use, the speaker can face left, right, or forward.

The mounting system for the 270 is much improved with a steel bracket that is screwed to a mounting surface. The bracket then grasps the speaker at the top and bottom. Teeth on the bracket mate with the cabinet, and allow for many more positioning options than the 170. The mounting is complete with the addition of fancy screw caps that clamp the bracket to the cabinet.

Being outdoor speakers, both units are weatherproof and UV-resistant. Grilles protect your speakers from errant yard toys, or can be removed to reveal the speakers.

You will need to supply power to both speakers via standard bi-wiring. The 170 handles 50 Watts while the 270 would prefer 60 Watts.

After reviewing the Stylus 170 & 270 my recommendation is easy. Though the 270 costs roughly $70 dollars more than the 170, the superior mounting system, and sound, are well worth your dollars. The 170 is a solid unit, but the overly bright sound, and plastic bracket, felt like a big step down from the 270.

Yamaha Wireless Direct AVR

Apr 25, 2014

Wireless Direct provides an alternate way to wirelessly connect your Wi-Fi capable AV Receiver with your Wi-Fi capable smartphone or tablet. Being a peer-to-peer connection, Wireless Direct doesn't require an existing wi-fi home network to enjoy many of the benefits of a networked AV

Wireless Direct provides an alternate way to wirelessly connect your Wi-Fi capable AV Receiver with your Wi-Fi capable smartphone or tablet. Being a peer-to-peer connection, Wireless Direct doesn't require an existing wi-fi home network to enjoy many of the benefits of a networked AV Receiver.

Yamaha CINEMA DSP Par. Adjust.

Apr 25, 2014

Yamaha's original DSP technology allows you to easily create sound fields like actual movie theaters or concert halls in your room to enjoy natural stereoscopic sound fields. Now you can use the AV Controller App to adjust DSP parameters to your preference to match the type of music / movie or

Yamaha's original DSP technology allows you to easily create sound fields like actual movie theaters or concert halls in your room to enjoy natural stereoscopic sound fields. Now you can use the AV Controller App to adjust DSP parameters to your preference to match the type of music / movie or the mood you want to achieve.

Monitor Audio Silver 6 Tower

I don’t know of anyone who does not dream of the day they can really pump up the jams with some nice tower speakers. With this in mind, meet my guest this past weekend: The Monitor Audio Silver 6.

The Silver 6 is the smallest tower in the Silver lineup from Monitor Audio. The line then

I don’t know of anyone who does not dream of the day they can really pump up the jams with some nice tower speakers. With this in mind, meet my guest this past weekend: The Monitor Audio Silver 6.

The Silver 6 is the smallest tower in the Silver lineup from Monitor Audio. The line then progresses through Silver 8 & 10. Considering that the Monitor Audio family starts at MR series then ranges upward with, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. I would place the Silver 6 in the middle of the lineup slightly towards the introductory models.

No matter what level you choose to jump into, Monitor Audio products all have excellent build quality. This European company has clearly put a lot of time and effort into designing and building a high quality product.

The first thing you should do after purchasing a set of Silver 6 towers is grab the fabric speaker grilles and pitch them into the nearest bin. Monitor builds classy towers and exposing the beautiful ports and cones is requisite part of the experience. Those grilles aren’t hiding anything that needs to be hidden.

Given the craftsmanship of the cabinetry, the foot on the tower looks out of place and clunky. My guess is that it’s designed to be universal to all towers of the same stature as the Silver 6. Its shape is likely driven by purpose over aesthetic. It it is by far the most stable speaker on our showroom floor. However, I wish they could have managed this and made it as handsome as the rest of the tower.

The Silver 6 listening experience is reminiscent of high quality paper cone speakers. The sound stage is warm and confident with soft characteristics. These towers are ideally suited to Country, Classic Rock and Soft Rock. The soundstage is broad but obviously tuned towards a nuanced middle. I would not recommend these speakers for people who listen to Jazz with a lot brass and high-hat cymbal. Equally, don’t try to pump crunchy Heavy Metal or pounding Club music through these towers.

There is no question in my mind that the tuning is intentional. Someone at Monitor Audio was clearly building speakers for their collection of Eric Clapton, and Tom Petty LP’s.

With a capacity to handle up to 150W volume is not an issue. There’s nothing like a new set of towers to make your neighbors livid. Higher peak wattage numbers also require greater minimum wattage so make sure your hardware is up to the task. If you have an amplifier that produces less than 60W these towers won’t be able to put on much of a show.

Should you own Monitor Audio Silver 6 towers? That’s going to depend entirely on your listening preferences. Choosing a tower is a highly subjective experience. I recommend including Monitor Audio in your “to audition” list. These towers will make the right person very happy.

Monitor Radius 45HD

Mar 20, 2014

It’s the little things that make me smile, that make my day. I love it when, out of the blue, I find something that exists without pretense. It’s simple, effective and carefully crafted. In a sea of half working, disposable spam, an honest device that works it’s heart out, without asking for

It’s the little things that make me smile, that make my day. I love it when, out of the blue, I find something that exists without pretense. It’s simple, effective and carefully crafted. In a sea of half working, disposable spam, an honest device that works it’s heart out, without asking for much, is endearing.

Meet the Monitor Radius 45, easily the smallest bookshelf speaker I have ever seen. The Radius 45 comes in Black, White or Walnut and there is no wrong choice. As you would expect from a European speaker company, finishes are immaculate and even the walnut veneer is flawless. (I thought it was a solid walnut cabinet!)

The Radius 45 is a 10cm cube with integrated acoustically transparent screens. Gold screw binding posts with provisions for bi-wire plugs are fitted to the back. The solid build and high quality hardware on this speaker makes it feel like an audio tool. There is a 7.5cm cone in front and a 2cm C-cam gold dome tweeter in the rear. Right here you should hear a record scratch to a halt.

The tweeter is in the rear?! Usually we would see the lower frequencies pointed away because long wavelengths sound less directional. Spreading the rumble around a room creates the feel of a larger soundstage. A rear-pointing tweeter with its high, short frequencies breaks all the rules!

I must be honest; I was not sure about this setup at all. It goes against everything I know about sound… but it works!

Placing this little devil is critically important. You don’t want to put it on an actual bookshelf or in a tight space. You are best advised to mount it on a desktop, a stand, or a wall, using the integrated threaded nut. Both the stand and mount are available through a Monitor audio dealer (like AVU).

Providing you have this little charmer on a desktop or properly mounted. The tweeter will reflect sound off your wall creating a very pleasing listening experience. The soundstage feels surprisingly large and bright without being overly sharp.

The Radius 45 is potent enough to fill a medium sized room without noticeable distortion. I felt like the sweet spot is at more moderate volume levels when you are sitting closer to the speaker. There is a definite distance where the Radius 45 comes to life.

Being a super tiny trooper the Radius 45 is a bright sounding speaker. Sound reproduction is good and very nuanced. However, if you quickly switch between the 45’s and larger speakers there is a noticeable raise in pitch for the 45’s. There are limitations to what can be done with small cones. Physics hasn’t taken a break, but Monitor has certainly found ways to work within the laws.

I loved these little speakers. They are a noticeably high quality product and are adorned with simple tough hardware that shows Monitor Audio’s attention to detail. The sound and feel is very mature. I would be proud to show these tiny wonders off as part of a home theatre or small audio setup. The price point is excellent. If you want surprising sound in a small package, there is none smaller than the Radius 45.

Yamaha YAS201 Soundbar

Mar 07, 2014

Some things are just right. Have you ever owned, or met someone who owned, a Miata (MX5). People love that car; not because it’s the biggest, or the fastest, or the fanciest. They love it because it’s simple and fun. You can take it out to a track and drive it right to the edge, without worrying

Some things are just right. Have you ever owned, or met someone who owned, a Miata (MX5). People love that car; not because it’s the biggest, or the fastest, or the fanciest. They love it because it’s simple and fun. You can take it out to a track and drive it right to the edge, without worrying about expensive parts or high-speed disasters. It’s fun because you can feel like a pro in an afternoon. The Yamaha YAS201 is exactly like that.

The YAS201 is a soundbar with a remote sub without complexity. I had mine plugged in and working in minutes. After about 15 minutes I realized volume “up” also turned on my fireplace. To fix this I decided to pair it to my TV remote. I flipped the manual open pushed a few buttons and it was paired. Next, I realized it just blocked my TV’s remote sensor. I pushed the button to activate the IR repeater; problem solved. Everything was easy. The YAS201 just works; push this, then push that and you are done.

The remote repeater is my favorite feature. Every soundbar I have tested blocks the eye on my TV, but only Yamaha thought to add a pass-through. It’s nice to be able to use my remote again.

The YAS201 is no slouch when it comes to sound. Though it only features dual 5.5 mm drivers it produces clear warm tones that are easy to enjoy. It won’t give you the super high frequencies but I didn’t miss them much. It shines in stereo providing all the volume and detail most people will want. The AIR SURROUND mode is present, but I found that, with only two speakers, it modulated the sound in an odd way and I preferred stereo.

The YAS201 has a few processing tricks up its sleeve. “UniVolume” maintains volume through commercials and between channels. “Clear Voice” brings out voices if you have trouble hearing the dialogue. You can use these functions together or separately. I preferred “UniVolume” on and “Clear Voice” off.

There’s no fancy display on the YAS201. Functions are printed on the face and a corresponding LED tells you when that function is “on” or “off”. It’s simple, easy to read, and bullet-proof. You can buy units with fancier displays, but isn’t it supposed to be about the sound?

The 16cm sub connects effortlessly via a wireless system. There are a few frequency choices incase you have more than one TV with a soundbar. It’s not the biggest thumper but it’s perfectly matched to the YAS201. The sub growls and rumbles in all the right places. You can buy more thunder but you don’t need to.

I loved this little powerhouse of a soundbar. I would probably not install it on my main home theatre, but it’s the perfect unit for secondary TV’s. I would strongly recommend the YAS201 in a Bedroom or a Rec-room. It’s easy, it’s rugged, it sounds good and you don’t have to sell any of your organs to afford one.

Sony XBR 4K ULTRA HDTV

Some may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. People often ask me what TV I would choose for myself. That’s easy, Sony wins hands down with their XBR 4K UHDTV. Here’s why…

The picture is beyond my ability to describe it. If you want to know what it’s like to watch a XBR 4K UHDTV,

Some may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. People often ask me what TV I would choose for myself. That’s easy, Sony wins hands down with their XBR 4K UHDTV. Here’s why…

The picture is beyond my ability to describe it. If you want to know what it’s like to watch a XBR 4K UHDTV, go get your Windex and really scrub a window on your house. Inside and out, don’t be lazy. Done? Good. Now pull up a chair. That’s 4K. Only 4K is better, because you aren’t watching a show about your backyard.

I have never had a screen give me vertigo outside of IMAX but if I watch action on a 4K UHDTV I will fly right off the couch. Suddenly TV is exciting again.

The XBR 4K UHDTV does not need a soundbar. See those sleek speakers along the side of the screen? They work great, and I don’t mean “compared to other TV’s”. They work GREAT Period. You obviously won’t get the thunder of a remote sub, but you get everything else, and it’s more than enough. Sony’s six built in speakers outclass quite a few soundbars.

Connectivity is easy with onboard WIFI that allows access to the full suite of Sony Entertainment Network and third party apps, including favorites like Netflix, Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited. Still not convinced? You can stream content from your smartphone or tablet. The whole Internet is at your fingertips. You might as well call in sick because you won’t be leaving the couch for a while.

The provided remote is sleek and faceted with a simple layout that does not crowd tiny buttons together. Even I can figure it out, which is impressive for a remote. It’s really too bad you will probably stuff it in a drawer and use your tablet or smartphone to control the XBR 4K UHDTV instead.

If you are a gamer, the two player “no split screen” function Sony calls SimulView makes gaming with friends so much better. SimulView allows each player to play full screen simultaneously. Not only are you no longer stuck in a little box, but your friends can’t peek at where you are hiding as a super sneaky sniper.

The XBR 4K UHDTV is my dream TV. Whether it’s for you depends entirely on the depth of your pockets. If you can afford one, you need to seriously consider the XBR 4K UHDTV. …and hey, the price just dropped by a thousand dollars, so it must be fate.